Oral Histories LIVE!

Rocki Shepard, CEO of New Leader Manufacturing (formerly known as Highway Equipment Co.), has worn numerous hats at her family-owned company since joining the team 33 years ago.

When Rocki began co-operations with her brother Matt Rissi in 1991, the culture was very male dominated and there was inconsistent pay scales between men and women at that time. One of the first orders of business was changing the culture – internally and externally. Some of those changes included creating a consistent pay grade system and health care benefits, invested in new equipment, became a smoke-free campus and more. Rocki oversaw the company expansion in 2002 where NLM relocated to a new facility on 40 acres at on 76th Ave SW. This expansion has allowed tremendous growth at NLM over the years and for years to come.

While New Leader Manufacturing is leading the way in their industry, they also strive in being leaders in the community and for our local charities. Rocki believes in community involvement and fiscal support of the local charities.  She and her husband, Bill, are financial partners with The Arc, Tanager Place, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Mercy Hospital, Kids First, His Hands-Free Clinic, and local Catholic Churches and schools. NLM is also a financial partner to many local organizations as well through their charitable giving campaign, Spreading Good. Rocki has been a volunteer youth soccer coach in the area for over 30 years. Rocki is a past member of the Junior Achievement Board and currently involved in the Manufacturing Sector Board through Kirkwood Community College and a member of the Economic Alliance Policy Board. 

Rocki is passionate about mentoring start-ups in the art of manufacturing, sales and marketing distribution and financial planning. In her spare time, Rocki enjoys hiking, extensive mushroom foraging throughout Iowa and Colorado, pickleball and spending time with her 4 grown daughters/sons-in-law and 8 grandchildren.